Metal railroad tie



Dec. 9 19%- L'Sg v R. T. BURDETTE METAL RAILROAD TIE 2 Sheets-Sheet ll Filed June '23, 1924 Der, 9, 1924.

R. T. BURDETTE METAL RAILROAD TIE Filed June 23 192.4

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.Patented Dee. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES ROBERT '.r. BURDETTE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METAL RAILROAD TIE.

Application led June 23, 1924. Serial No. 721,718.

To all iti/mm 'it '/imjf/ concern.'

Be it known that I, Ronnit'r T. BUnmrrrn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful limiirovements in Metal Railroad Ties, of which the following is a specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to metallic railway ties and means for positioning` the rails thereon.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a metallic railway tie having a suitably cushioned seat for the rail with new and improved means for securing the cushioning members in position beneath said rail.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a metallic'tie having new and improved positioning and fastening members for adjustably securing the rails to the tie.

Other objects of the invention are the provision Of a metallic tie'with new and improved means for anchoring the tie, and for adjustably securing the rails to the tie for compensating for wear of the rails, and so arranging the parts that the tie will be cheap to manufacture, easily assembled and placed in position, that is efficient in use, and that is not likely to become broken or get out of order.-

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a track showing my invention vin position thereunder Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig 8;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the track and road bed showing the invention in position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a positioning` block;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an insulating member;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the. wedges;

Figs. 10 and 11 are elevational views of the key member;

Figs. 12 and 13 show modified forms oil". positioning blocks; and

Fig. 14 is a cross section of a curved road bed showing the application of the wedges disclosed in Figs. 7 and 12, for varying the gauge of the track.

On the drawings the reference character 10 designates a rail of any usual or well known construction employed as a track in railroads and the like. Each rail is adapted to be supported in a series of rail seats or chairs 11, each of which comprises a base 12 and an upwardly extending recess or channel 13 within which the rail 10 is disposed. The channel 13 is formed by the floor 14 and the upwardly extending side walls 15 and 16 spaced apart a greater distance than the width of the foot flange 17 of the rail 10.

The side walls 15 and 16 are provided with recesses or pockets 18 and 19 terminating at their upper ends in grooves 2O and 21 for the reception of rail positioning blocks as will presently appear.

Suitable means are provided for positioning the rail within the seat 11. As shown, positioning blocks 22 and 28 are employed for this purpose, one on each side of the rail. The blocks shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive are duplicates of each other and each is provided with a straight back 220 for engaging the bottom wall of the recess 18 or 19. Its upper end is reduced to engage the groove 20 or 21. A lateral extension 24 provided with a lower angular surface forming a shoulder and a downward extension 2G is adapted to extend over and downward alongside the foot flange 17 for preventing lateral, vertical or turning movement of the rail. Preferably the side walls are extended upwardly as far as is consistent with proper construction in order that the blocks 22 and 23 may be extended to provide as great a leverage as possible for preventing turning of the rail within the seat.

Suitable means, such as the members 2.7` of insulating material, may be interposed between the flange 17 and the angular surface 25 of the blocks 22 and 23. This niaterial not only insulates the rail from the blocks and side walls of the seats, but also acts as cushioning members thereby prolonging the life of the rails and their seats. The members 27 are preferably provided with retaining flanges 28 and 29 at each end thereof to prevent their displacement.

In order to firmly secure the foot flange 17 against the shoulders ofthe blocks 22V and Q3, suitable wedge means 30 are ein-- ployed. Preferably two Wedges are used for each seat, the wedges beingduplicates. The

thin portions of the Wedges overlap and the are ada )ted to be driven toward each;

other for forcing the tiange 17 upwardly against the shoulders 25.

In order to deaden the vibration incident to the passage oftrains along the track, and

at the same time afford `a resilient'as-well as of the-wedges. Itis desirable, therefore, toy

provide means for preventing" loosening. or relative movement, off the blocks. In the forni` of' the devicevr selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the side Walls are provided withA guides or recesses 31 and 32 at diagonally opposite points iny which the backs of the retaining keys lare adaptedtoengage. Theinner edges ofthe keys 33 are'vshaped and are provided with serrations as at' Si! Tliie upper end of the keyl maybe provided With an outwardly extend# ing portion forming a head 34 for removing-the key. The heads 34E are adapted to engage notches 57'at the upper ends of the guide Ways or recesses 31 and 32 for preventing turning movements of the keys. The notches are sufficiently deep to permit the heads Sea to be driven below the fiangeA 17 whereby the rail may be adjusted.oversaid head' Without contacting the saine. The' lower end of the key may be taperedras at 'to facilitate its entrance between the side wall "and the Wedges. p

After the wedges have been driven heneath the rail, the keys are driven hon'ie'thns forcing the serrations` to enter the Wedges and atthe same time forcing the Wedges to a position at an angle t'o'the rail- The key-s being arranged diagonally across the rail seat, each engages the thiclr portionof a Wedge andthey cooperate to turn'thewedgcs in the same direction to anoblique position. By this arrangement the wedges are not only locked by the keys against loilgitudinal movement but,I being'. turnedl so that the grain of the Wood is oblique to-the rails the force will be applied diagonally to thel fiber of the Wedges and the" friction of" theparts will tend to preventv` thel separation of@ the Wedges. This is considered an important feature of'the invention. Furthermore, the sides of'fth'e rail .seat are duplicatesV andit is in'nnaterial in' i assembling the device` which side is arranged outwardly' ofI lthe rails;

Suitable means' are provided for rigidly connecting together the rail seats at `ach side of the` track; As shown, a inet-alli(l channel bar 38 -is employed for this purpose. A- seat is adapted to be rigidly attached to the bar at cach end thereof, the whole for1ningl a metallic tie.

The' base 12 of the scat is provided with laterally extending feet or flanges which arer` adapted to engage the web il of the channel bar 38. The rail seats are connected to the channel bar by any suitable means, suoli* as the rivets h1-2 extendingl downwardly through the feet 3), the web t1 and the transverse members 42. The transverse members si?? not only assist in rigidly securingV the rail seats to the channel bar, but also perform the function of cleats to prevent the longitudinal. movement of the tie when the same has been placed in position on the ballast' or road bed.

Suitable Webs t3 are adapted to connect the feet 39'With the sides of the rail seat op posite the pockets or recesses 18 and 19* for bracing that portion of the seats.

In railway construction it is necessary to vary the gauge of the track by increasing the distance between the rails on curved tracks, as shown in Fig. 14. lIn the present construction provision is made for varying the gauge Without varying the distance hctween the rail seats of the tie. Each rail seat is made of suilicient` width to permit a lii-nited lateral adjustn'lent"of the rail within the seat. The adjustnient is preferably` oh tained byr employing positioning blocks of different thicknesses. As shown in Fig. 12 the block is of greater thickness than the block 22 Whichis the one usually employed onstraiglitsivay tracks. A. block 56 for cooperating witlr the block is shown in Fig. 13 of the drawing. This block is of less thickness than the block 22.

Various arrangements of thc blocks F5, 56r and QQ/may be had. As shown in Fig. 'ift the rail 10 at the left" of said figure is posh tioned Within the seat by the blocks and 23 While atthe right of said ligure the rail is positioned-withi-n thcscat` by means of the` blocks and 5G. The block 55 being the thicker one is placed on the inner side ot t'hc` rail `Whercby theoga-nge of the rails will he increased over that shown in- Fig. 5.

'Thi'lc I l'ifave shown the outer ra il ol? thc curve as being positioned in the` seat by means of theblocks 55 and Si); it is undery stoodtliatthe inner rail may' be positioned by these blocks and the blocks 22 o't" inedimn thickness be used'on th'eouter rail. As the rails become Worn it may beconn` necessary tol move the rails closer together. This may be accomplished by an arrangement of the blocks as will be obvious to any one skilled in the art.

The rail `seats may be formed` in any suitable manner, but preferablyeach'is a,

rate integral casting. They are interchangeable, which greatly facilitates the assembly of the parts. The seats are of sucient width to receive the larger rails and by employing wedges of different thicknesses the smaller aswell as the larger rails may be rigidly secured within the seats. When the parts are assembled, a metallic tie is produced which may be embedded in the ballast or roadbed in the usual manner, and when in position will be more hrmly held than the wooden ties now in common use.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying dravings that the construction and operation of nu' device will be apparent to those skilled in. the art, and that various changes .in size, shape, prol'iortion and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l claim as my invention:--

1 In a device of the class described, a seat for receiving a rail of a railway track, blocks for securing said rail within said seat. said blocks being of different thicknesses whereby said rails may be adjusted laterally in said seat by interchanging the same, and wedging means beneath said rail.

2. In combination, a pair of rail seats, means for spacing said seats apart, ay rail in each seat, blocks for positioning said rails in said seats, said blocks being of different thicknesses, whereby the gauge of the track may be varied by interchanging the blocks, resilient members between said rails and said seats, and means for locking said members in position.

3. ln conibination, a rail seat, a rail within said seat, means for positioning said rail within said seat, cushioning means between said seat and rail, and means insertable after said rail is fastened in position in said seat for locking said cushioning means in position beneath said rail.

4. Tn combination, a metallic tie comprising a connecting member, a rail seat secured to each end of said connecting member, said seats being interchangeable and each be ing a separate integral cast structure and having a groove therein and a key slidably mounted in said groove, said key having serrations on one side thereof.

5. In combination, a rail seat, a rail within said seat, means for positioning said rail within said seat, wedges between said rail and seat, and means for holding said wedges at an angle to the axis of said rail.

6. In combination, a metallic tic comprising a rail seat at each end of said tie, each seat comprising side walls having recesses therein terminating in grooves at their upper ends, a rail in said seat, blocks at each side of said rail having laterally extending portions for engaging the foot iiange of said rail, wedges beneath said flange, and key members in channels in the side walls of said seats for securing said. wedges in position in said seat.

7. A metallic tie, comprising a channel bar, a rail seat secured in the channel at each k end of said bar, cleats extending across said bar beneath each seat, and means for securing said seat, bar and cleats together.

S. Tn combination, rail seats, rails secured in said seats, wedge-shaped resilient members between said rails and seats, means for locking said members in position beneath said rails, and means for preventing movement of said last named means.

9. In combination, a rail tie provided with a rail seat adjacent each end thereof, each seat provided with key ways diagonally arranged with notches adjacent the upper ends of said keyways, a rail secured in each seat, wooden wedges in said seats beneath said rails, and serrated keys in said guide ways for engaging said wedges for holding the same in position, said keys being provided with outwardly extending heads for engaging said notches.

l0. A seat for a rail of a railway track comprising a base and upwardly extending side walls spaced apart for the reception of a rail of a rail *ay track, blocks adapted to interlock with. said walls for positioning a rail within said seat, and means associated with one of said walls and adapted to retain a supporting member between said rail and said base.

ROBERT T. BURDETTE. 

